Huperzine A inhibits heroin-seeking behaviors induced by cue or heroin priming in rats.

Cholinergic systems modulate dopaminergic function in brain pathways are thought to mediate heroin addiction. This study investigated whether huperzine A, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, has beneficial effects on heroin reward and heroin-seeking behavior. Rats were trained to self-administer heroin (50 μg/kg/infusion) under the fixed ratio 1 schedule for 14 days and then drug-seeking was extinguished for 10 days, after which reinstatement of drug-seeking was induced by conditioned cues or heroin priming. Acute treatment with huperzine A at dose from 0.05 to 0.2 mg/kg potently and dose-dependently suppressed the cue- and heroin-induced reinstatement of heroin-seeking behavior following extinction. Huperzine A at these doses failed to alter either heroin rewarding effect or spontaneous locomotion activity. The study demonstrated that acute treatment with huperzine A inhibited heroin-seeking behavior, suggesting that huperzine A may be used as an adjuvant treatment for heroin relapse and addiction.